From Military.com:
"Coronavirus Survivors May Be
Barred from Joining the US Military”
A diagnosis of the COVID-19
coronavirus may keep prospective recruits out of the U.S. military, according
to a memo from U.S. Military Entrance Processing Command making the rounds on
Twitter. U.S. Military Entrance Processing Command issued the missive to
recruit processing stations saying a history of COVID-19, confirmed by a
laboratory test or a clinician diagnosis, is permanently disqualifying. And
"during the pre-screen process, a reported history of confirmed COVID-19
will be annotated 'Considered disqualifying,' " the memo adds. Pentagon
spokeswoman Jessica Maxwell confirmed the memo's authenticity, but said it has
been updated to clarify the guidance. She declined to disclose the update. But
a Department of Defense official with knowledge of the change said
hospitalization for COVID-19 will be considered medically disqualifying. Any potential
recruit with such a history, however, could apply for a waiver. The contents of
the memo were first reported by Military Times. The guidance also spells out
the process at MEPS for handling new applicants during and after the pandemic.
Currently, all entrants to MEPS receive a temperature check and answer a
questionnaire about symptoms and any contact with anyone confirmed with the
coronavirus. Applicants who fail screening will be asked to return to MEPS
after a minimum of 14 days if they remain symptom-free. If they develop
symptoms and are diagnosed, they must wait at least 28 days after diagnoses to
report to MEPS. There, they may be designated as medically disqualified,
depending on the severity of their cases. While very few viral infections are
medically disqualifying for military service, active human immunodeficiency
virus cases and an eye condition caused by the herpes simplex virus are
disqualifying. Respiratory illnesses such as asthma, a history of pneumonia and
chronic obstructive pulmonary disease also preclude people from serving in the
U.S. military.
^ With confirmed cases of Covid-19
in the US at 1,256,511 and raising the US Military may have to rethink this ban
otherwise they won’t have anyone able to join. ^
https://www.military.com/daily-news/2020/05/06/coronavirus-survivors-may-be-barred-joining-us-military.html
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